Shloka 6

Marutta Seeks a Priest: Bṛhaspati’s Refusal and Nārada’s Guidance to Saṃvarta

Chapter 6

Devanagari script

ब॒हस्पतिर्वाच न कामये याजयितु त्वामहं पृथिवीपते । वृतो5स्मि देवराजेन प्रतिज्ञातं च तस्य मे

Transliteration

bṛhaspatir uvāca na kāmaye yājayituṁ tvām ahaṁ pṛthivīpate | vṛto 'smi devarājena pratijñātaṁ ca tasya me ||

Translation

布里哈斯帕提说道：“大地之主啊，我不愿为你主持祭祀。天帝因陀罗已选我为其祭司（purohita），而我也已向他立下誓言。”

Word by Word

• बृहस्पतिः: Brihaspati
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• कामये: I desire / I wish
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Atmanepada

• याजयितुम्: to cause (someone) to perform a sacrifice / to officiate a sacrifice for
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive), Causative

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथिवीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवीपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वृतः: chosen / appointed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वरणे)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• देवराजेन: by the king of the gods (Indra)
• देवराजेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवराज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रतिज्ञातम्: promised
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ज्ञा
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Pṛthivīpati (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as fidelity to one’s pledged word (pratijñā). Even when approached by a king, a priest must honor prior commitments and avoid violating an oath made to another patron.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhaspati tells the king (addressed as pṛthivīpati) that he will not conduct the king’s sacrifice because Indra has already appointed him as his priest and Bṛhaspati has promised Indra to serve him.